Tag Archives: Meadowbank

There are two Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon fish farms adjacent to different sections of the Derwent River; one near Wayatinah Lagoon and the other downstream from Meadowbank Dam. The privately owned company Salmon Enterprises of Tasmania (SALTAS), which are Australia’s largest producer of Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon smolt, operates the hatchery near Wayatinah. The second photo below was taken by Michelle and the rest by me.

The family owned and operated Huon Aquaculture operates the farm at Meadowbank. More can be read here.

Hydro Tasmania acknowledges aboriginal history was apparent in a cave that is now beneath the waters of Meadowbank Lake in central Tasmania.

In 1977, J Stockton wrote a paper A Tasmanian painting site which adds to the information provided by the Hydro. The paper provides some background on the submerged cave and indicates that other caves exist with similar markings and ochre residues.

I do not know where these caves are and I wouldn’t want to visit and disturb them even if I knew their location. Therefore, Chantale’s photo below, showing the north western end of Meadowbank Lake as it receives Derwent River water travelling downstream from Cluny Dam, is simply a picture of one part of the Derwent River system and it is not intended to relate to the location of the caves. I have included it simply to remind readers how part of Tasmania appears these days; that is, with all the signs of European settlement and land control.

The potential of the volume of water passing down the Derwent River for hydro-electricity generation was seen over a century ago. While a few power stations were built in the early decades of the 20th century, with an influx of migrants from war ravaged Europe in the 1940s-50s, the numbers of dams and power stations increased quickly. Overall, many dams and approximately 30 power stations have been built across central Tasmania.

On my way to Lake St Clair, I will reach and walk past each of the following 7 markers along the River:

Meadowbank

Cluny

Repulse

Catagunya

Wayatinah

Tarraleah

Butlers Gorge

One of the Hydro websites provides detailed information about these and others which feed into the Derwent River catchment. In addition, the site includes the diagram below.